I saw that on Youtube - looks like a bloke broke in with a camera, then made a film juxtaposing what it used to look like with what it looks like now; quite sad actually - I had my formative cinema experiences there and only realised later what an impact it had made on me. You just don't get the same at Cineworld, when you're eating your 5000% marked-up popcorn and having your brains melted by surround sound.

i've never really seen the need for wakey to have two stations in this day and age.

They're on different sides of the city and service different lines?

A little off the thread topic but it's gone this way so, for those interested in nostalgia.

The Wakefield Arms was the first building in the world built with portland cement hence it's listed status.It was also the home of the legendary Kalahari Bushmen and was a great night out.

Tony Costello was the long time landlord I believe, if I've got my memory in order he was a superb host and the pub was never the same after he'd gone!

Nowt wrong with your memory mate.

the problem with the wakefield arms was that the last landlord, couldnt make it pay. The overheads were too much. He'd ran several pubs over in cas/normanton and made them work however this pub was a place where very few people went, he tried various ways to get people thru the door. But in the end he was losing money so moved on and no other landlord was found so like so many of the pubs in wakefield it closed never to reopen.

Ordinary Portland Cement was developed by a bricklayer from Leeds called Joseph Aspdin and patented in 1824. His works where OPC was first produced was in Kirkgate, Wakefield so it would not have far to travel from the works to the Wakefield Arms.

It's off the beaten track now, with the way the lower end of Kirkgate has developed over the decades. You'd have to make it something really special for people to make the effort. Maybe, as Bren states, if the station is improved, there'd be a chance for the place. It's a nice building, and done up well, with good ale and good grub, could catch some trade from the Hepworth and rail commuters, as well as 13 afternoons/evenings for the Trin home games, of course.

With a proper 'Wakefield' theme to reflect it's proud name, the pub could be a real draw; locally produced beer and food, some decor redolent of Wakefield history and a tie-in with existing attractions - Bob is close to becoming your uncle.

As for the ABC - I've got some great memories from that place; I remember watching The Exorcist at midnight one Halloween, a Friday 13th all-nighter and of course, watching Star Wars for the first time and coming out a lifelong sic-fi geek. Happy days.

I remember the sat morning shows for kids at the ABC

The ABC Minors. Used to go every week, my Mother would go shopping and drop me off and then pick me up when it finished. Think it was 6d in the stalls and 9d on the balcony. Still can sing the song.

Something I keep hinting at when in conversation with mates. The Fleece on Brook Street, if done properly, is a potential goldmine now that Trinity Walk is open.

You don't have to break in, it's open at the back near Wilkinsons or it was. The problem is though it's flooded by about two foot of water in there, which was caused when they shut the place down turning the water pumps off they used to run 24/7.

Said the same thing mate, could make it into a right pub.

The pub game is precarious at the moment though - I'm sure I read somewhere that a pub a day is closing in this country, due to people choosing to buy their ten bob lager from the supermarket and getting pished at home for a fiver.

A mate of mine works in the trade and tells me that the pubs that are bucking the trend are 'destination' real ale houses and gastro-pubs, both of which could work well in Wakefield; I guess you've got to know what you're doing though, which is why Ossett are enjoying such a purple patch - try getting in The Hop on a Friday or Saturday night, it's packed to the rafters.

spot on this. good pubs aren't closing. pubs where the tennant/landlord/brewer thing all they have to do is open the doors, provide a smoke shelter, get some microwave grub on a stylish blackboard, then dish up fizzy lager-pop and pasterised "bitter" on an electric pump are closing at a rapid rate.

We are the boys and girls well known as minors of the ABC, cannot remember any more.

I used to go as well.
Did not need dropping off as I lived just round the corner in a back to back terrace house.
Tin bath in front of black lead fire.
Also handy for baths at Sun Lane and Almshouse Lane and of course 10 min walk to Belle View.

Good pubs that offer quality food, real ale, continental beers and a bit of character are doing really well. Real ale is one of the few growth industries in the UK. Smelly old doss houses serving Carling and John Smiths are closing rapidly and deserve to in my opinion.

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/ ... _1_4161020

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/ ... _1_4161020

I agree - if there is to be less money spent in pubs, I'd rather it was all spent in a few good ones so that they can thrive, rather than having lots of pubs limping along.

Does that place still operate? Last time I was in Wakey, I went down Brook Street on the pilgrimage to Allums, and with the exception of the 2 butchers' shops, and possibly an army stores, I think every other shop had closed.

I think you have a good point, though. Do the place up a bit, get a few good, local beers in, put on good quality, traditional snap, and I reckon you'd be on a winner.

We could have a forum whip-round, form the traditional "consortium of local businessmen" to buy the place out, run it as a Trinity pub... There is a market for quality, and if it means paying a bit more, supping a bit less, but savouring what you're getting, then everyone's a winner in the long term.

Wonder if

he'll take a look at the Wakefield Arms too? He seems to be stuck in his current post with little chance of promotion, he could take it on as landlord, or maybe he sees it as the beginning of all concrete carbuncles.

Your council estates want for nothing!